Suzie Says: A praying mama

I interviewed my friend, Mickey (pictured with a grandchild from her other son, Nick, and his wife Amber), about the time she prayed and it seemed like nothing was happening with her son, Austin. He was in trouble. He was stealing. He was doing drugs.

He was raised in church and once loved God like crazy, but was now completely lost. I share the full journey of this mom and her son in a devotion, Encouragement for Today. But this is the "rest of the story". I hope it encourages you today.

Suzie: If you knew then what you know now about Austin, how would it have helped?

Mickey: Had I known that Austin was going to end up being the amazing young man he is today I would have probably spent a few less sleepless nights. The powerful thing about God is that He allowed me to see in Austin what He sees in Austin. I saw visions of my son talking and sharing his story with groups of people, sometimes small groups and sometimes large groups.

I heard him in my spirit telling other young people about the love and saving power of Jesus Christ. Seeing my son doing the things I saw in my spirit several years ago makes me realize it is all about walking by faith, not by sight. It is not about the days that emotionally and physically you are so tired that you cried out to God just to allow you to go home to heaven so you would not have to deal with living this nightmare anymore. It is knowing that when you woke up the next morning still on this earth that God must have a plan and those tears and prayers are not going unheard and unanswered.

Suzie: What would you say to a mom whose son or daughter is making destructive choices?

Mickey: If your son or daughter is making destructive choices first make sure that you are not burying your head in the sand. The signs that your child is in trouble are always there and sometimes we do not want to admit it out of pride, fear, you do not have time to deal with it, or any other excuse. You must also make sure you are not enabling your child to continue the downward spiral. You cannot help your child if you want to be their friend instead of their parent.

House rules are house rules and cannot be broken for any reason. If your child is an alcoholic or a drug addict it is the alcohol and drugs speaking to you, not you child. It took me a while to realize these things and when I did I was able to act on my faith. I did not allow Austin to live and do ungodly things in our home. God has been established as the head of our household for many years and I was not allowing Satan to destroy that.

Faith without works is dead so begin speaking life into your son or daughter. Your enemy (Satan) is not going to go quietly so hang on to the horns of the altar and fight in the spirit like you have never fought before. The thoughts and feelings that you are having as mothers are not abnormal. There were times I cried out to God to send someone to love my child because at that moment I was not sure I even loved him. During those moments, God would send someone to intercede and stand the gap for me. Several years went by and I even told God I was mad at Him for not answering my prayers.

God would always rebuke me by sending a mom into our prayer group whose situation was much more severe. I was always in the altar at church sometimes crying and sobbing so hard it took my breath away, but I never left feeling empty. The Holy Spirit was always there comforting me. Remember other people who are new Christians or do not know Jesus as their savior are watching you. They will watch to see if you give up and walk away from God or hang on to your faith. If you give up they will say, “Well God did not work for them, why do I need Him?” If they see your faith in action they will want to know that Jesus inside of you.

Many times I reminded God (as if He needed to be reminded) of His promise in Proverbs 22:6 which says, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old (grown) he will not turn from it.” A promise is a promise and God’s promises are irrefutable. Find a scripture that you can hang on to and stand on that word of God. Confess your promise and take authority over doubt and unbelief from the enemy. God is bigger than addiction and Jesus wins!

Suzie: Can you tell me why you started praying with other moms of prodigals?

Mickey: I started praying with other moms of prodigal children because I needed a support group that understood what I was going through. I also understood that I was in spiritual warfare and that God’s blessings would be upon those living in faithfulness to Him. In Deuteronomy 32:30, God’s blessings were on the troops of Israel because of their faithfulness to Him.

That same Old Testament principle could be applied to the group of moms praying as well: One can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight. The more mothers of prodigals that are praying in agreement against the enemy increases the effectiveness of those prayers 10 fold. That biblical principle excited me and I knew there was power in numbers. Every Tuesday when we met, God had spoken to one of the ladies during the week a word of encouragement that all of us needed to hear. It was incredible and long-lasting friendships grew out of those prayer meetings.

Suzie: Did you really believe you prayers were being heard?

Mickey: I would be lying if I said I felt my prayers were being answered all along. There were moments when I was so low that it felt as if heaven were brass. The power of the women’s prayer group was being honest with each other and ministering to each other. We would not let each other give up. We all realized Satan was not giving and just stepping aside and saying, “Okay, you moms win, here is your children back.”

We understood that prayer involves spiritual warfare and that the violent would take it by force (Matthew 11:12). We had to put our boxing gloves on and believe God would deliver to Satan the final knock-out blow.

Suzie: If someone else wanted to start a prayer group with other moms of prodigals, what do they need to do?

Mickey: If you are a mom of a prodigal and you would like to start a prayer group I would suggest you talk at your local church with the pastor. Most pastors are excited when people want to pray and you want your pastor on board with you. Contact others within your church who have prodigal children or grandchildren and share with them the idea and goal of such a prayer group. It only takes a few to get started, and remember one can put a thousand to flight, two can put ten thousand to flight.

Choose a time that is convenient to the majority of the group. Do not limit the number of people and you may open it up to moms outside the church also. This may open up a whole new ministry to you.

Suzie: How has God answered your prayers?

Mickey: All things changed one evening when I was once again in the altar praying and crying out to God for Austin. My biggest fear was Austin dying and going to hell. God spoke to my spirit very clearly and told me I had not fully given Austin to Him.

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As I often do, I argued with God. I said to Him, “What do you mean? I am the parent who has acted with tough love and Donnie (my husband) was the rescuer and the enabler.” He spoke to me again and told me to give Austin completely over to Him. I instantly knew what He meant and began to argue again. After a little while I told God if He promised me that Austin would be in heaven with me some day I would pray that prayer. It was the hardest prayer I ever prayed.

I began to pray, “Jesus, take Austin to his last breath but let him breathe the name Jesus and be eternally with You.” The minute I spoke that out of my mouth a warmth and peace started at my head and continued down my toes. All fear left me and I knew Austin was going to be alright. Within two weeks, police called our house in the middle of the night and told us our store had been broken into. I told my husband that my spirit instantly poke to me and said it was Austin who did it.

A day went by and my husband began to get phone calls from our son. Austin had come down off of his Xanax and Ecstasy high and realized what he had done. This was finally Austin’s low and he was remorseful. He called my cell phone and asked me for a ride. I told him I could give him a ride but no money, food or a place to clean up. I made him wait four hours before I picked him up because he had lied to me before. When he got in the car he asked me to take him to the church and that he needed help and to get saved. Hallelujah! That was the beginning of his deliverance and his new life with Christ Jesus.

I took Austin to a crisis center as far away from Oklahoma as we could find. I knew he needed to be away from his familiar. Austin spent sixteen months at Teen Challenge and graduated in the fall of 2005. He was saved and delivered from every drug except alcohol. We went through one more arrest and DUI before Austin totally sold out to Jesus. He has been totally clean since July of 2006. God had answered my prayers. It is worth every tear and every amount of time spent on my knees.

Today Austin ministers to young people every time he gets the chance and works with the youth group at our church. He is engaged to be married in December to a beautiful woman of God. (Austin and Alyson are pictured above.) That is another prayer answered, to God be the glory!

Suzie: Last, can you share a short prayer for a hurting mama who is reading this today?

Mickey: Dear God, touch hurting moms of prodigal children everywhere. Let them see what you see in their children, and let that vision be stamped into their hearts and minds. Father you did not give them the spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound minds. I speak healing and rest into their weary bodies and minds in the name of Jesus. Give them revelation knowledge that the enemy has no authority over their children or themselves. In Jesus name, loosen the angels of heaven to come and do warfare over these moms and children. In Jesus name, bind the enemy in every direction and no weapon formed against them will prosper. Father, thank you for never leaving or forsaking them and remind them daily that Jesus wins!

Amen. From Suzie: Thank you to Mickey for such a vulnerable and honest interview.